BOSTON — Gov. Deval Patrick delivered his final state budget plan to Beacon Hill lawmakers Wednesday, a $36.4 billion proposal that would increase spending by 4.9 percent over the current budget.

STEVE LeBLANC and STEVE DECOSTA

BOSTON — Gov. Deval Patrick delivered his final state budget plan to Beacon Hill lawmakers Wednesday, a $36.4 billion proposal that would increase spending by 4.9 percent over the current budget.

Patrick said his blueprint for the fiscal year starting in July seeks to expand early education, help close the achievement gap in schools, ensure affordable health care and address violence among young people and in urban areas.

The budget would also boost funding for the state transportation department and the MBTA by $141 million to end the practice of paying for transportation staff on the capital budget.

"I'm proud of this budget," Patrick told reporters. "It's a good budget. It's a sensible budget."

Several SouthCoast lawmakers generally agreed with his assessment.

"Overall, it's a good budget," said Rep. Antonio Cabral, D-New Bedford and chairman of the House Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets.

Cabral pointed specifically to the governor's plan to increase Chapter 70 education money that would give New Bedford an additional $3.4 million next year. "I'm hoping the House can do even better."

Montigny also praised the proposed boost in funding for youth programs, "which is always good for New Bedford," and for higher education, important to preserving Bristol Community College's "downtown presence" in New Bedford.

Cabral lauded the governor's plan to boost transportation funding, paying for personnel and projects from the annual budget rather than capital funding. "That will allow more capital projects to be funded," he said.

Asked about the governor's plan to raise $57 million in new revenue by making candy and soda subject to the state sales tax, Cabral said: "He's proposed that now for several budgets. As of today, I don't see the appetite for it."

Montigny stated flat out, "I won't vote for any tax increases," but had good things to say about the governor's proposal to close what he called "dirty corporate loopholes."

Patrick said much of the new spending in his budget proposal is focused on education, including a $100 million increase in local education aid to cities and towns, bringing total so-called Chapter 70 funding to $4.4 billion.

He also wants to spend an additional $15 million in early education programs to help close a stubborn achievement gap between black and Hispanic students and white students.

For the first time, the budget plan builds in expected gambling revenue from the state's 2011 casino law. The budget anticipates about $20 million in revenue from the sole slots parlor allowed under the law. That license is expected to be awarded early this year and the venue could be up and running by the end of 2014, midway through the fiscal year.

There's about $97 million in additional taxes in the budget.

Patrick is again proposing $57 million in new revenue by applying the state's sales tax to candy and soda. That proposal has been rejected by lawmakers in the past, but Patrick again made the argument in favor of the tax saying the money would go to support public health and infrastructure projects.

The plan also includes another $40 million in taxes that Patrick has proposed before, including applying the room occupancy tax on transient rentals, like summer homes.

Patrick opted not to revive a plan from last year's budget proposal that sought to hike the state's income tax rate from 5.25 percent to 6.25 percent, coupled with a reduction in the sales tax from 6.25 percent to 4.5 percent to help pay for long-term transportation needs.

Lawmakers rejected the proposal, adopting instead a 3 cent-per-gallon hike in the gasoline tax and a $1-per-pack cigarette tax increase.

Besides taxes, the budget also relies on a $175 million withdrawal from the state's rainy day fund.

Patrick's budget now heads to the House and Senate, where lawmakers will craft and debate their own versions of the spending plan before delivering a single compromise budget to Patrick before the end of the current fiscal year June 30.